


The Distance

by Caliente (Bether)



Category: E.R.
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode Related, Friendship, Gen, Gift Fic, Goodbyes, Hopeful Ending, Missing Scene, Not Beta Read, One Shot, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Past Tense, Vignette, Workplace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-17
Updated: 2006-12-17
Packaged: 2017-10-11 18:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/115570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bether/pseuds/Caliente
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Carter's leaving, but he's got at least one friend who's going to weigh in before he goes. After all, Abigail Lockhart has never been one to just take these things lying down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Distance

**Author's Note:**

> For Caduceus. A little snippet set during or slightly before 11.22 "The Show Must Go On" due to Carter's decision to leave County and try to make it work with Kem in Africa.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** Characters mentioned are used without permission and are trademarks of NBC/whoever else owns the rights to ER. I do not own them and am simply borrowing for my purposes. Please don't sue.

"So that's it? You're leaving?" John Carter looked up from his charts to see Abby Lockhart standing in front of the still swinging break room door. "Just like that?"

He smiled faintly at her and nodded. She would see it that way. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Is she worth it?" And there was the three million dollar question. It wasn't an accusation. There was no hint of the underlying questions about where their relationship went wrong that would've been there once upon a time. It was simply a question between friends. And a fair one, at that.

So John gave it the consideration he felt it deserved, thinking through his answer carefully. "I think… she might be." He looked Abby straight in the eyes. "Now we have the time to really figure it out." Beyond the hurt and the pain, beyond the lust and passion… to see if what they had was real. Love. "And I think we both deserve that chance."

Abby smiled for the first time since she'd entered the room. "Good answer." Then she sat across from her friend—the man she loved even if they weren't in love anymore—and took his hand into her. "Good luck, Carter."

He squeezed her hand and smiled back. "Thanks." Considering his luck with women, he'd need it.

"I mean it, John." Her face was serious again as she stared him down. "You deserve to be happy." More than almost anyone she knew. He was a good person. He'd done so much for her. "You deserve better than this place. You always have."

His smile grew and he winked at her. "Yeah but I liked it here, anyway." She laughed and shook her head. His expression turned more wistful. "It fit me for a long time."

Abby nodded. "It did."

"But now it's time to move on," he finished, somberly. It was never easy to leave. And this place had been home to him for so long… he could barely remember his life before it. Chicago even moreso.

A sad smile formed on her face. "It is," she agreed. Then she put on a brave front. "But don't worry, this place will keep running without you. We'll keep County safe." It was a promise. One he knew she'd keep.

John smiled faintly. "I know." He squeezed her hand one last time and released it. "And, as long as there's a County General, there'll be stacks of paperwork to do." Looking at the papers on the table, he shook his head. "I think I could spend the rest of my life doing this stuff alone…"

Laughing, Abby nodded. "Probably. But then you'd never get to see the patients. And, really, what's life without urinary tract infections, bowl obstructions and vomiting?"

"Why, that's no life at all!" he agreed with a laugh of his own.

She stood and nodded to him. "Well, I'll leave you to it, John. I just heard the news and you know…" He nodded his understanding. It's what they did. "I'll see you later."

"See you," he echoed, watching Abby leave with a thoughtful look on his face. Yeah, he was definitely going to miss this place. He looked down at his work again and sighed. Well, some things about it, anyway.


End file.
